Thursday, May 29, 2008

Journalism 101

Again, CNN fails the most basic rules of responsible sourcing:

In response to McClellan's suggestion in the "Today" interview that the White House manipulated intelligence in the run-up to the war, a senior administration official said, "Scott McClellan's assertions about the administration's decision to go into Iraq are just flat-out wrong and not supported by the facts."

The official was not willing to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about the book.

Unbelievable bullshit! Anonymous sources should only be used carefully to help the reader understand the story, not because they give a quote that fits your narrative. This is letting the White House put its spin into print without having to take responsibility for it.

This is what got us into Iraq! CNN hasn't learned anything from Scott McClellan's book, which is only the latest lesson in a series of thousands.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, This Irks me when i see this. I can understand on a blogging site or some tabloid trash, but CNN should know better.

Anonymous said...

Mr Mcllelan book is an accusation of a false war", is
a "crime committed to the people of the United States". If you send people to war that is false and then they die then that to me is the mother of all crimes. Having said that Mr Mcllellan an accesssory to that crime knowingly that people will die on a false pretense. He is obligated and risk his job to report such grievous act. He is worst than the one's that made the decision.

Anonymous said...

High Treason in the White House Thank you Mr. Mc for the substantiation! All the Players should be brought in on charges of High treason. The American people are paying for this war $4.00 gas and a collapsed dollar. Thank you misters Bush and Channey.
Are their any Navy Seals out there that will do what is necessary to round these suckers up and hold a Tribunal?

lovable liberal said...

Treason is not up to the SEALS nor to anyone else in the military. The impeachable offenses of Duhbya and Darth are not treason anyway, but the civil authorities should take care of them, not some coup d'etat!